The Samsung HT-C7200 is a super slim home cinema system that follows the trend for very good looking systems and has been squarely aimed at those people who want the style and the substance.
Like the also good looking Sony BDV-F500 and Panasonic SC-BTX75, the Samsung HT-C7200 is a 2.1 based Blu-ray home cinema system meaning you won’t quite get the full 5.1 experience, but the Crystal Amplifier will get as near as it can. The two speakers are quite tall at 334mm high, but then the system pumps out a very respectable 400w (RMS) so they need to be, and means you can really enjoy the full uncompressed DTS-HD Master Audio and Dolby TrueHD sound. The main unit itself is positioned at an angle and is astonishingly thin, but in reality most of the electronics sits in the ‘stand’ which is hidden behind the front fascia, so you’ll still need a space 134mm high by 178mm deep to position it. The width is fairly standard at 420mm, but the sliding disk mechanism is on the right hand side so you’ll need to allow room to get discs in and out.
Like most home cinema systems these days, the Samsung HT-C7200 come with online capabilities, in this case the Internet@TV service which allows you to access and view services like YouTube, LoveFilm movie streaming, and BBC iPlayer (although the latter two are coming soon). However, unlike most systems, the HT-C7200 actually comes with the wireless dongle included so you get up and running straightaway. It also includes the DLNA powered Allshare feature so you can stream photos and movies from your PC through the system to your television – wirelessly.
The Samsung HT-C7200 is also quite generous with its connection options, with two HDMI inputs as well as an optical input and USB sockets, and a single HDMI and component outputs all sensibly placed on the very rear of the system, and an additional USB socket at the side. When you consider that the 7200 also includes an iPod dock, the system starts to look very flexible indeed.
What to consider before you buy the Samsung HT-C7200 Blu-ray Home Cinema System
The angled design looks great, but it does mean that the discs are inserted at the right hand side of the unit, so make sure you can give it enough room to gain access.
Why you should buy the Samsung HT-C7200 Blu-ray Home Cinema System
The Samsung is more expensive than it’s stablemates from Sony and Panasonic, but you do get more power, and the Wi-Fi dongle is included rather than being an additional £70 or so. When you consider this and the fact that the C7200 gets an additional HDMI input, it could end up being the better buy. Rating: /5
Buy Samsung HT-C7200